NC Zoo
gorilla birthday
You only get to celebrate a baby’s first birthday once. But two of the North Carolina’s Zoo’s most popular animals will be celebrating that special first anniversary together.
“Bomassa” and “Apollo,” baby gorillas that both arrived in August 2012, will get a special zoo birthday party on Saturday, August 3, and the public is invited. The festivities begin at 9:30 a.m. at the Forest Glade gorilla exhibit with African music by “The Healing Force.” Between 9:30 and 10 a.m. the gorilla youngsters will receive special birthday treats.
Special feedings for all the gorillas will begin at 11:30 a.m. with gorilla keepers available to meet with visitors and answer questions until 1:30 p.m. The party will conclude at 2:30 p.m. when everyone is invited to sing “Happy Birthday” to the thriving youngsters.
It was a rare event for an American zoo to have two gorillas born less than a month apart. On average, only five gorillas are born in accredited U.S. zoos each year. Female gorilla “Jamani” gave birth to Bomassa on August 4, 2012, representing the first gorilla born at the State Zoo in 23 years. That was followed by “Olympia’s” delivery of Apollo on August 31.
The zoo is located on Zoo Parkway (N.C. 159) six miles southeast of Asheboro off U.S. 64 and U.S. 220. Admission is $12 for adults, $8 for children 2-12 and $10 for seniors 62-plus. Summer operating hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. For information, visit the zoo website at http://www.nczoo.org
Source: NC Zoo
